Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 3 July 2023: Publicis Groupe Middle East announced today that Ajit Ramaswami, CEO of MSL ME, a regional strategic communications agency, has taken on a new role as a strategic advisor and corporate practice head for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. In this new capacity, Ajit will be focused on identifying and driving strategic initiatives that support MSL’s growth objectives across key thriving markets within APAC.   

“For nearly two decades, Ajit has been the driving force behind the successful transformation and expansion of MSL across the Middle East,” said Bassel Kakish, CEO of Publicis Groupe ME&T. ”It’s an exciting time for him to be leveraging his deep expertise to unlock new opportunities in a dynamic new business landscape. I wish him the best in this new role, and I have every confidence that he will continue to propel the Publicis Groupe ‘power of one’ vision forward across APAC and beyond.”    

Ajit is a communications veteran with 27 years of experience in the Middle East and India, delivering strategic communications to multinational and regional organisations across a diversity of industries including financial services, telecom, FMCG, technology, tourism, public affairs and family businesses. He joined MSL ME and Publicis Groupe in 2004 and was appointed CEO in 2008. During this time, he was instrumental in securing prestigious accounts for the agency including DU, Samsung, key P&G brands and TAMM for the Groupe. 

“Ajit is a seasoned and well-respected practitioner who knows how to drive transformative results for both the business and our clients,” said Margaret Key, CEO at MSL Asia, Middle East and Africa. “Having worked together for the last few years, I know the value he will bring to this region, and I am excited to see how we can partner together to further accelerate MSL’s growth agenda.”  

Under his stewardship, Ajit has built MSL’s credentials as the go-to consultant for industry verticals such as Professional Services, Technology, Media and Telecommunications while making significant advances in key growth areas in Healthcare, Automotive and Utilities. He is credited for establishing a proprietary framework for Brand Resilience and C-Suite profiling and establishing the agency’s reputation as a Crisis & Incidence Management leader.  

“I’m incredibly proud of the past 19 years with Publicis Groupe ME and MSL for the Middle East, but I am also excited for the opportunity to tap into a dynamic and booming market such as Asia-Pacific,” said Ajit Ramaswami. ”I am grateful to Publicis Groupe ME’s leadership for enabling a culture of opportunity where this has been possible and to our valued clients who have entrusted us as their partner over the years. Lastly, I am immensely proud of my exceptional team, who I know will continue to thrive and deliver exceptional client results.”

In this new role, he will work closely with the MSL APAC leadership team to provide strategic counsel to strengthen their offering with a focus on the corporate practice, introduce new, measurable solutions for clients and expand the network’s footprint across key markets and industries.